Tuesday, July 9, 2013

The Philippine Tourist Visa

A visa is an endorsement made on a passport or travel document by the Philippine Consulate denoting that the traveler’s visa application has been properly examined and that the holder is permitted to proceed to the Philippines. However, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (www.immigration.gov.ph) has the final decision on the entry of a foreign traveler into the Philippines. 


The visa thus issued is not a guarantee that the holder will be admitted into the country. The admission of foreign nationals is a function of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration at the port of entry.



Australian passport holders are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa if they intend to stay for Twenty-One (21) days or less for pleasure or business purposes, provided they have a return or onward travel to another country and their passports are valid at least six months beyond the intended stay in the Philippines.



Holders of passports issued by other countries are advised to contact the Philippine Consulate General or to visit the PhilippineDepartment of Foreign Affairs website (www.dfa.gov.ph) for information if their passport avails of the 21-day visa-free entry privilege.



For a stay of more than 21 days, a traveler must apply for an appropriate visa at the Philippine Consulate General.  A visa generally allows a stay of until 59 days in the Philippines. Visitors wishing to stay beyond 59 days may apply for an Extension of Stay at any office of the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines before the authorized stay runs out. Fees for extension of stay will apply. Refer to the Bureau of immigration website for information about extending your stay in the Philippines.

Children below 15 years of age traveling to the Philippines unaccompanied by a parent must secure an Affidavit of Support and Consent from the Consulate. Upon arrival at the airport in the Philippines, the accompanying adult will submit this Affidavit to the immigration authorities and obtain a Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG). Fees will apply.
The following are the visas processed by this Consulate;




The following visas and extended stay permits require the approval of the Bureau of Immigration and are usually issued in the Philippines:




21-Day Visa-Free Stay
Nationals from countries listed below who are traveling to the Philippines for business and tourism are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding twenty-one days (21) days, provided they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination and their passports valid for a period of at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated period of stay. However, Immigration Officers at ports of entry may exercise their discretion to admit holders of passports valid for at least sixty (60) days beyond the intended period of stay.
The reckoning of the 21 days begins on the day after arrival in the Philippines. This visa-free stay allows for regular tourism and business meetings.
Nationals who are subjects of deportation or blacklist orders of the DFA and the Bureau of Immigration shall not be admitted to the Philippines.
Nationals from the following countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay of twenty-one (21) days or less:
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
Belgium
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil (see note below)
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Costa Rica
Cote d’Ivoire
Cyprus
Czech Republic

Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel (see note below)
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea (Republic of Korea)
Kuwait
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Monaco
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Norway
Oman
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Spain
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania)
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Vatican
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe

The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding fifty-nine (59) days:
  • Holders of Brazil passports
  • Holders of Israel passports

The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding seven (7) days:
  • Holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative (SAR) passports
  • Holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passports
  • Holders of Portuguese Passports issued in Macao
Holders of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports
Article Courtesy: Philippine Embassy

0 comments:

Post a Comment